


Tea Drop Cafe

by Eeriecloud



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Canon Non-Binary Character, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Modern Witch AU, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Perry is a witch again but still won't do somethings in witchcraft, Pining, Slow Burn, Witch AU, like not hollywood witch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-02
Updated: 2017-02-02
Packaged: 2018-09-21 12:36:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9549236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eeriecloud/pseuds/Eeriecloud
Summary: LaFontaine is on their last limb with their paranormal investigation, it has almost gotten to the point where they couldn't get a word down and had it make sense. After pulling an all-nighter, a sort of feeling takes them to a cafe called "Tea Drop Cafe" where they were introduced to a friendly face and the start of placing in all of those missing pieces in their life.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Witch AU: http://eeriecloud.tumblr.com/post/156564642186/carmilla-witch-au

LaFontaine nestled on the wooden floor, their back aching with the pain from falling off from their mattress in the middle of the night. They had that same dream again, the one of a earthy tone cottage and smells and lavender and sage (or what they imagine what sage smelled like, honestly they hadn’t stepped into the herb section in over a year). The rest of the image was blurry, they could barely make out a song… Ah, no matter, it was best not to dwell on it for too long, plus knowing the amount of times that scene had appeared (exactly three times a week) it was surely going to come again. Right now, LaF is starving for some breakfast!

They lifted themself from the floor, their back, their arms, actually their whole body seemed to cracked. The light streaming from the window was now very much on their face. Gah, they really need to invest in some sort of curtain. The walls in their apartment was only over ten feet apart, but they don’t have to deal with the reminder of that from the window. LaFontaine was able to lift themself up to get a view of the time on the red digital clock, the grey sheets and notes with various chicken scratches falling off them as they do.  
…  
…  
Well, LaFontaine is starving for lunch or maybe even early dinner. They groaned as they lifted themself up to be able to stand, the rest of their notes and sheets falling to the floor. They lifted their arms to stretch, as they did they inspected the disgrace of the studio apartment that lies in front of them.

Short answer, lots of papers and books in various places. Long answer, the apartment absolutely looks like if some sort of mad scientist came in here and decided to make an explosion that only creates paper and books. Would LaF consider themself the mad scientist? Mad researcher? Mad ghost seeker? Yeah one of those things. From the twin bed, to the worn desk and swivel chair they never used, to even in the sink, everything had at least some sort of piece of paper or book of some type. Long story short, there had been active paranormal energy in the area. LaF doesn’t know how or why but sometimes they can just feel it, something has spiked as a late with whatever energy it was and that makes them REALLY uneasy. They started to do research what it could be (weather temperatures, moon phases, Mothman) and yet reached a dead end on every turn. They only stopped when they fell asleep. Plus, not to mention, something seemed to be calling them out specifically, something without form...

With much struggle, LaFontaine walked themself to their fridge. Opening it swiftly, what stared back at them was only a few cans of energy drinks. They cursed to themself, in the midst of writing the weird anomaly they forgot to AT LEAST order some take out. Research over food or food over research, the true struggle of being an adult that hunts the paranormals for a living. With a long drawn sigh, they looked down. Good, they are still wearing that black t-shirt and jeans they were wearing yesterday. Good thing the autumn chill is coming in, they can just wrap themself in their coat and no one would ever know that they drool in their sleep.

With little regards to what their hair looked like, they took their coat off of the desk chair to put it on and seconds after put on some red converse that they found in two corners of the room. They patted their jeans, phone and wallet were still there. With that, they left the mess that was their home.

After walking what felt like hours (but sadly was only ten minutes from what their watch said) the cold finally settled in. It was suppose to be the beginning of October, why was it this cold? Not even what warmth that could be found in their cold shriveled heart could warm them. Hell, most of the restaurants and shops didn’t even seem to feel welcoming. Every time they approach a place something tells them that they should keep searching. For what, LaF didn’t know, but their feet were walking and there is no way they are stopping anytime soon.

After thirty minutes, LaF was getting impatient as they passed by shops they had never seen before. The shops looked more old and worn with age, something that LaF had only seen in movies about witches and ghouls. They aren’t usually this picky! What is going on!? Is it the weird energy making them feel this or was it the fact that they had an unsuccessful all nighter? Whatever, they are going to turn themself right now and go back to that thai place-

Someone opened a door to walk out of the shop that was in front of them. As the stranger stomped away, a wave of a familiar smell and warmth came from the shop. The smell of lavender and sage.

LaF looked through the large glass windows. It didn’t look busy, but there was enough people in there to not make the place entirely empty. A few small, pink candles were lit on tables with flames standing tall. Everything felt very...homely is the best word they can describe it. There was no one standing in the barista station, so they assumed they were in the back. They looked for the name of this place. With a cursive writing on the window it was read: Tea Drop Cafe. Right under the name there was a poster that read “Help Wanted: Ask for interview inside!” with an imagine of a heart right next to it. Cute.

With little hesitation, LaFontaine entered the cafe and as they did the sound of bells jingled overhead. They thought they got a good look of the cafe before, but now inside the place gave a whole new perspective. The barista station was unique compared to the other places they had gone, there were stacks and stacks of tea and other drink mixtures. Each box had a little design of a flower descending into a tea cup and the title right under it, LaF gave a stifled of a laugh when they noticed that some of those titles had very familiar names such as Felix Felicis and Polyjuice.

“Hello, can I help you?”

LaF stumbled back when hearing the voice, jeez they didn’t hear the other person coming! They looked up and in front of them across the counter was (what they assumed) the barista. Her red hair was tied up in a bun, but that didn’t stop it to poof out in every-which-way, and from what LaF could see she was wearing a white blouse with sleeves that cut off at her wrist and jeans, all covered with a black apron with the same image of the one on the tea boxes. Her expression was tired, as if something had been haunting her for weeks, but she still wore a bright smile that made LaF’s own heart swell thrice as big. Cute…  
Shit.

“W-well I-,” they stuttered, shit cottonmouth. The barista gave a sympathetic smile.

“I’m guessing you’re new?”

LaF took a breath and nodded.

It was like a candle started to blaze in her eyes, she clasp her hands together. LaF took a bit of pride from that. “That’s wonderful! It's always wonderful to see new faces around here, especially to those that are just introduced into the craft!” She gestured to the glass bottles behind her, all filled with different herbs. Some that LaF recognized, but most they didn’t. “Of course everything here is homemade, or retrieved from a local source. You can order what we have on the board, but we also can make brew from recipes take in if you feel like you’re too inexperienced to make it by yourself. We also have a store through the small doorway.“

She pointed to a small passageway, LaF looked through and it didn’t look like an old tea shop. there were unlit candles, books, crystal necklaces, and even some knives LaF could make out before they directed their attention back to the pretty barista.

“We also have a few mentors around here somewhere,“ she puts her hands on her hips and looks around for them, “...but they prefer to come in much later now it seems. Anyways, did you get all that?” Startled by the sudden question, LaF just gave a nod. They had no idea what the barista was talking about with things such as “the craft” or why there are knives for sale in the back of a cafe but it all seemed...interesting? It was like something was clicking for the first time, and they know how they are with interesting thing. They gotta keep searching till they hit the brick wall.

Not aware of what they were doing, they gave a third nod, “Yeah, I think I got it.”

“Great!” The barista smiled brightly, holy shit she was going to kill them, “What would you like to order?”

LaFontaine peered over the counter, studying the board with great thought. Then a name catches their eye, it was familiar but they couldn’t place why.

“How about the Amortentia? The sounds great.”

With a quick “coming right up”, the barista went straight to work. It was almost entrancing to watch her go from glass bottle to glass bottle to put herbs in an empty tea bag. Orange, cinnamon, even black pepper which LaF thought was strange but didn’t question it. She obviously was in control of her situation and LaF wasn’t about to break her concentration. Finally, there was a the ‘plonk’ sound of a rose bud dropping into the tea and the snap of the lid on top of the cup.

The barista looked up expectedly with a pen, “What is your name?”

“Oh, its LaFontaine, but you can call me LaF.”

“Alright LaFontaine,” she wrote their name in large cursive on the top of the lid, “I’m Perry. Welcome to Tea Drop!”

And with that, she was gone. Perry had walked into a door near the back, and disappeared from the front of the store. LaFontaine’s eyes lingered on that door until their head decided that they need to get a move on with their day. The door played a much sadder jingle, it seemed, as they made their way out.

Even without taking a sip of their drink, right when they stepped out of the cafe all they wanted to do was to rush back in. LaF just stood out there, staring at the sign in the front. It was that feeling again, yet it felt much different. Instead of feeling lost and cold, this magical feeling was warm and found. Like they were meant to be there, like something was drawing themself to this cafe and “the craft” that Perry was talking about. This whole place just felt right.

LaF eyed the help wanted poster again, no doubt that Perry just needs the morning help since the other employees come in later. With a deep breath they made up their mind. No, they weren’t going in for an interview because of a cute girl name Perry works there, it was because of this attraction to this place and the fact that their paranormal activity work had been down in the dumps and they needed the money. Yeah, it wasn’t just about Perry!

Perry was sweeping behind the barista stand with a broom covered in drawings. LaFontaine took another breath and a gulped down the tea for good measure. With that, they marched back, the bells overhead seemed to jingle much more happily.

**Author's Note:**

> This was really fun to make! I had to do a bit of research to make this story a bit more accurate. Before you ask, the Amortentia tea doesn't make people fall in love, after doing some research I decided to make it more towards self-love.  
> I hope you all enjoyed this! And here's to hoping I can actually keep up with this series!
> 
> Please leave a kudos or comment if you enjoy!


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